For roughly half a decade, Singapore establishment Hawker Chan was renowned for serving the worldโs cheapest Michelin-starred meal. Prepared at a humble food stall located within the city-stateโs Chinatown Complex Food Centre by Chef Chan Hon Meng, the celebrated chicken rice dish would set you back a measley $3. But last year, due to reasons still unknown to the public, Hawker Chan Singapore lost its Michelin star (although it still holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand status).
So who and what exactly sits in Michelinโs throne for criticially-acclaimed cheap eats? As recently brought to wider attention by Marielle Descalsota of Insider, the top honour now belongs to yet another humble food stall nestled in the heart of Singapore: Tai Hwa Pork Noodle in Hill Street โ founded by Tang Joon Teo back in 1932 and currently being run by his son Tang Chay Seng, who took over upon the formerโs death circa 1995.
Serving its eponymous dish starting from around $6 โ which is also referred to as โbak chor meeโ โ in the wake of Hawker Chanโs dismissal, Tai Hwa Pork Noodle became just one of two remaining street food vendors across the globe with a Michelin star. Just one of two remaining street food vendors to have consistently retained a Michelin star throughout the years, in fact. The only exception being in 2020 when the Singapore guide was cancelled entirely.
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โThe Michelin star brought with it a price increase,โ explains one patron.
โThe standard remained the same, so I still think itโs worth the price.โ
โIโm a big fan,โ notes another.
โOnce you try it, you hesitate trying other bak chor mee. Everything is just right.โ
Itโs to be expected, really. According to Insider, long before earning the title of worldโs cheapest Michelin-starred meal โ and long before itโs Michelin star, period โ Tai Hwa Pork Noodle in Hill Street was credited with popularising this very combination of noodles, minced pork, chili paste, and black vinegar.
Hereโs how Marielle Descalsota describes her personal experience indulging in a bak chor mee from Tai Hwa Pork Noodle:
As someone who eats noodles nearly every day, both dishes hit the spot โ but the dry bak chor mee was the one that exceeded expectations. The dry noodles were fresh and silky, the meat flavorful, and the sauce had that yummy umami flavor. Unlike other gan mian, this version was more mild in spice, but could easily be kicked up a notch with some fresh chilis. The soup that accompanied the noodles was rich yet refreshing โ I usually don't enjoy the free soup because it can taste bland like boiled water, but this was an exception. On the other hand, the rice noodle soup was light and balanced with very mild flavor. In fact, I found the two [complemented] each other. If you ask me, one of the best parts of Singapore culture is the love of food, and more importantly, the love of delicious, affordable food. And that day, I experienced the epitome of this culture.
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โItโs more than just street food. Itโs part of everyday life in Singapore.โ
The other international showcase of unpretentious yet fulfilling gourmet mentioned earlier in this article can be found at Jay Fai in Thailand; which some of you may recall encountering via the odd Netflix documentary and Anthony Bourdain shoutout. From the stallโs signature crispy golden-brown crab omlettes to its own stir-fried noodles with seafood and gravy, a hearty feed here will set you back a comparatively pricier เธฟ300- เธฟ1,500 ($12.78-$63.89).
Either way, if you ever find yourself around these corners of Asia, you really canโt go wrong.
